Victor Program Transcription Records -

RCA Victor Introduces a Series of 33 1/3 RPM Long Play Records in 1931

Introduction by RCA Victor of Long Playing Program Transcription Records

In September, 1931, RCA Victor introduced a series on 12 inch (30 cm) discs recorded at
33 1/3 RPM that they named Program Transcription records. Victor presented
their new development to the press on September 26, 1931.
publicity release:

"...Before a select audience of more than a hundred musical celebrities, prominent editors,
and educators at the Plaza Hotel New York City, the RCA Victor Company held the first
demonstration of a new long-playing record capable of reproducing an entire symphony or
musical program lasting a full half hour... Distinguished speakers, among whom were
Leopold Stokowski director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Edward E. Schumaker, President
of the RCA Victor Company... The first composition to be recorded as a program transcription
was was of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the
direction of Leopold Stokowski at the Philadelphia Academy of Music..." 1

Victor L-7001 Program Transcription of Beethoven Symphony no 5

These records were able to contain up to 15 minutes of recording on each side. Unlike
the Columbia LP long playing 33 1/3 records introduced in 1948, the groove size was not a
"microgroove" but was the same size as for the 78 RPM disc. However, grooves were somewhat
closer together than conventional 78s 2. Most of these
records were pressed on a new composition which Victor called "Vitrolac" which Victor
considered superior to the standard shellac material used in 78 RPM discs of the era.
However, over time, Vitrolac proved to wear more rapidly than conventional shellac records
and they did not have a quieter surface.

This first Victor Program Transcription release of Stokowski and the
Philadelphia Orchestra performing the Beethoven Symphony
no 5 was released on Victor L-7001, a two sided 12 inch (30 cm) disc recorded directly
onto two 33 1/3 RPM matrices. RCA Victor had been recording the
Philadelphia Orchestra in their studios in Camden, New Jersey to save money, but
this recording was made in the orchestra's home: the Academy of Music in Philadelphia
which featured superior acoustics. Each of the two sides were first "takes" matrices
LCVE 67543-1 and LCVE 67544-1: 17 and 14 minute sides each done in one take.

Previous 33 1/3 Disc Recordings

These 33 1/3 recorded discs were not new in 1931. Bell Laboratories had developed electrical
recording during the 1920s, including the Vitaphone system. Vitaphone was the first commercially successful
sound track system synchronized to movies. Pioneering "talkies" such as The Jazz Singer
starring Al Jolson in 1927 used the Vitaphone system. Vitaphone was introduced
and commercialized in Hollywood by the Bell subsidiary Western Electric.
The Vitaphone recording discs were engineered to contain the at least 11 minutes of sound,
corresponding to the length of one reel of movie film as projected in that era. The
Vitaphone disc was 16 inches (40 cm) recorded at 33 1/3 RPM, and played from the inside groove
closest to the record label to the outside groove.

This same format disc was soon used for radio "program transcription discs" which allowed
companies to create and syndicate radio programmes which they would distribute to radio
stations to originate, locally, popular shows or to add to local radio content. These recordings
were 16 inches (40 cm) in diameter recorded at 33 1/3 RPM similar to the Vitaphone format.
Such transcriptions continued to be used into the 1940s.

New Equipment To Play 33 1/3 RPM Program Transcription Records

RCA Victor introduced several new record playing systems, usually integrating
radios and automatic record changers which would play both 78 RPM discs and the
new 33 1/3 RPM records. In 1931 the Radiola radio-phonography model
RAE-26.

The mechanism introduced by Victor for automatic play of either 78 RPM or 33 1/3 RPM Program Transcription
discs was heavy, even compared with the heavy pick-up designs of the 1930s. One advantage of the groove
size of the 33 1/3 RPM Program Transcription disc was that, being the same as conventional 78 RPM
discs, the same stylus could be used for both disc speeds.

Rise and Fall of RCA Victor's Program Transcription Venture

After the initial introduction of Program Transcription discs in September 1931,
there were further fairly large releases in September, October 1932 and May through August
1933. In November 1933 there was also released a series of albums of automatic record
changer sequence to coincide with introductions of new automatic player equipment
capable of playing both 78 RPM and 33 1/3 RPM discs.

This commercial release taking place in the depths of the Great Depression, purchase of the
special equipment needed to play these long-playing recordings was limited to a few
affluent music lovers. To expand sales, Victor even released long-play records
which could be used in music halls, and a remarkable disc intended to be
used in funeral establishments before and after a service !

The 1931 Victor "Program Transcription" programme was even expanded to markets outside
the US. Striking examples include this pressing for the Japanese market of the
Victor disk Victor L-24001, which was a 33 1/3 remastering of the 21 April 1927
recording of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue played by George Gershwin, piano
and scored for Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, who had commissioned the work.

In the early 1950s, Edward Wallerstein (1891-1970) wrote about the demise of the
Program Transcription programme. Wallerstein had been General Manager
of RCA Victor under David Sarnoff, and then in 1938 moved to manage Columbia Records
under William Paley. It was during Wallerstein's management of Columbia
Records that Columbia developed and introduced in 1948 their new Long Play
microgroove 33 1/3 RPM disc format. About the Victor Program Transcription
programme, Wallerstein said:

"...when I became general manager of the Victor Division of RCA on July 1, 1933,
my first act was to take them [the Program Transcription records] off the market.
The idea was good and they might have sold, but there were technical problems.
Most of the records were made from Victorlac, a vinyl compound developed by Jim Hunter;
the pickups available at that time were so heavy they just cut through the material
after several plays. The complaints from customers all over the U.S. were
so terrific that we were forced to withdraw the LPs. If you could get a new
pressing of one of these records today and play it with a modern lightweight
2-mil pickup, it probably would sound pretty good... " 4

So ended RCA Victor's pioneering experiment with Program Transcription long playing
records, which failed in part due to the technical problems described by Mr. Wallerstein,
and also because this venture was undertaken during what were the most difficult years
of the 'Great Depression'.

in 1933, Victor dubbed this recording of "The Raven" onto both
a Victor 33 1/3 RPM 10 inch (25cm) Program Transcription disc L-1006 and
onto two 78 RPM picture discs. These picture disc were stamped on a transparent plastic
material with an image of Edgar Allan Poe and with the words of Poe's poem (see
image to right).

This recording came from a Philadelphia Orchestra concert pair of
December 9, 10, 1932 which Victor recorded live onto a film soundtrack, then dubbed
onto film FRC matrices FRC-74824-1 through FRC-74837-1. This was the source of the
33 1/3 RPM and 78 RPM discs.

December 9, 10 1932

Academy of Music, Philadelphia, USA

78 RPM "Picture Disc" of The Raven issued in 1933

Arcady Dubensky (1890-1966): "The Raven" (1931) setting the poem of Edgar Allan Poe to music

For the 1931 launch of its Program Transcription discs, Victor recorded
Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in the Academy of Music directly onto
a 12 inch (30 cm) 33 1/3 RPM disc, matrix LCVE 67543-1 side A, LCVE 67544-1 side B.
These were 17 and 14 minute sides each done in one take. For Europe,
HMV 42-1217 and 42-1218 are listed by the Discography of American Historical Recordings3, but may not have been issued.

This recording was the only 1931 Philadelphia Orchestra RCA Victor recording done in
the Academy of Music; all others were recorded in Camden, New Jersey to save money.

also in August 1931 for the launch of its Program Transcription discs, these
recordings were dubbed from the November, 1926 originals.
33 1/3 RPM side A matrix LCVE-69730-2 contained CVE 36655-4, CVE 36656-4, CVE 36657-2
originals and side B LCVE-69764-1 contained CVE 36669-1, CVE 36670-4, CVE
36671-2.

on April 9, 1932 this performance of Schoenberg's massive "Gurre-Lieder" was recorded live
onto seven Victor 12 inch (30 cm) 33 1/3 RPM discs: L-11609 through L-11615 in
Victor album LM-127 consisting of 13 sides of the Gurre-Lieder and one side of Stokowski's
explanation of Gurre-Lieder themes (on side A of L-11609).

33 1/3 RPM matrices: LCSHQ-71699-1 through LCSHQ-71711-1 all first takes. sides were
faded out and faded in on two separate cutting machines.

in 1933 released also in automatic changer sequence on discs L-11682 through L-11688

on April 16, 1932 this performance of Stokowski's "Symphonic Synthesis" of
music from Tristan und Isolde was recorded in the Camden Church Studio in
New Jersey directly onto discs L-11636 and L-11637 in Victor album LM-154.

During the same session, this was also recorded as four 78 RPM discs
Victor 7621, 7622, 7623, 7624 in album M-154

in 1933 released also in automatic changer sequence on
Victor Program Transcription discs L-11709, L-11710

April 16, 1932

Camden Church Studio no 1, Camden, NJ USA

Richard Wagner

Tristan und Isolde - Symphonic Synthesis

This was Stokowski's first version consisting of: Prelude to Act 1, Act 1 parts of Scene 4 and 5
when Tristan meets Isolde, hunting horns beginning Act 2, the love scene of Act 2,
Act 3 music Tristan awakes with yearning, and concluding with the Liebestod music

At this April 23, 1932 session, this Sibelius symphony was recorded on both a
78 RPM album M-160 and also directly onto two 12 inch (30 cm) 33 1/3 RPM Victor
"Program Transcription" discs in album LM-160. For both speeds, two cutting machines
were used allowing matrix sides fading out and in.

At these March 1933 sessions, this Rheingold "Symphonic Synthesis" was
recorded on both a 78 RPM album M-179 and also directly onto two 12 inch (30 cm)
33 1/3 RPM Victor "Program Transcription" discs in album LM-179. For both speeds,
two cutting machines were used allowing matrix sides fading out and in.

The discs in album LM-179 were Victor L-11643, L-11644.
L-11643 used 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75179-2 side A, 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75182-2 side B.
L-11644 used 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75185-1 side A, with side B blank.

in 1933 released also in automatic changer sequence on
Victor Program Transcription discs L-11716, L-11717

March 4 and March 25, 1933

Camden Church Studio no 1, Camden, NJ USA

Richard Wagner

Das Rheingold: "Symphonic Synthesis" as arranged by Stokowski

Erda's music given to the English horn in a 5 minute extended solo played by Robert Bloom

Part 1 of the Synthesis: the Prelude, Alberich with the Rhinemaidens, the descent of Wotan and
Loge into Nibelheim, Erda's warning. Part 2 "Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla" as arranged by
Stokowski.

At recording sessions on March 4 and April 29, 1933, Stokowski and the Philadelphia
Orchestra recorded the Brahms Symphony no 4 on five 78 RPM discs in album M-185.
At the same time, during the March 4, 1933 session this recording was mastered
onto three 33 1/3 RPM Program Transcription discs - not released.

The 33 1/3 RPM Victor discs were assigned as L-11653 through L-11655 in
album LM-185, not released.

in 1933 this famous 1929 recording of the "Swan of Tuonela" was dubbed onto a
Victor 33 1/3 RPM 12 inch (30 cm) Program Transcription disc Victor L-11656
coupled with the 1930 recording of Finlandia; but this disc was
not released.

The original 78 RPM recordings Victor 7380 (Swan) and Victor 7412
(Finlandia) continued to be sold.

In these 1933 sessions, these excerpts from Die Götterdämmerung were
recorded on both a 78 RPM album M-188 and also directly onto three 12 inch (30 cm)
33 1/3 RPM Victor Program Transcription discs in album LM-188. For both speeds,
two cutting machines were used allowing matrix sides fading out and in.

The discs in album LM-188 were Victor L-11671 through L-11673.
L-11671 used 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75628-1 side A, 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75631-1 side B.
L-11672 used 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75634-3 side A, 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75681-1 side B.
L-11673 used 33 1/3 matrix LSC-75678-2 side A, with side B blank.

in 1933 released also in automatic changer sequence on
Victor Program Transcription discs L-11736, L-11737, L-11738.

In this recording session, excerpts from Die Walküre were recorded simultaneously on
78 RPM matrices and 33 1/3 Program Transcription matrices, with multiple
cutting machines used so that sides could be faded from one matrix to the next
without the orchestra stopping between takes. Neither the 78 RPM nor the
33 1/3 RPM recordings were released.

This session of the premiere recording of the Shostakovich Symphony no 1 was recorded
simultaneously on 78 RPM matrices (for album M-192) and 33 1/3 Program Transcription
matrices (for album LM-192), with
multiple cutting machines used so that sides could be faded from one matrix to the next
without the orchestra stopping between takes.

recorded directly onto three 33 1/3 Program Transcription discs L-11744 through L-11746.
L-11744 used matrix LCS-78445-1 for side A, LCS-78454-1 for side B.
L-11745 used matrix LCS-78448-1 for side A, LCS-78457-1 for side B.
L-11746 used matrix LCS-78451-1 for side A, with side B blank.

this 1933 recording was also prepared in automatic changer sequence on
Victor Program Transcription discs on L-11749, L-11750, L-11751 with
side B blank.

In this session, the Liadov works were recorded simultaneously on 78 RPM matrices
for release on one 12 inch (30 cm) Victor Red Seal disc 8491 and one 10 inch (25 cm)
disc 1681.

Also on 33 1/3 Program Transcription matrix for Victor L-11752,
with multiple cutting machines used so that sides could be faded from one matrix to the next
without the orchestra stopping between takes.

recorded directly a 33 1/3 Program Transcription disc L-11752,
with matrix LCS-78439-1 for side A and LCS-78442-1 for side B.

Panamericana, I've Been Decorated, Twilight Borakecsh,
Rose of the World, Yesterthoughts, Punchinello, Erin's Isle, Eileen Alanna Ashore,
The Irish Have A Great Day Tonight, You're The Only Girl For Me, When You're Away

A double-sided 12 inch (30 cm) disc of background music for 'funeral parlors' played by
Charles O'Connell, Victor recording supervisor for Stokowski and others.

33 1/3 LP matrices were: LCVE-70594-4 and LCVE-72010-2

Victor L-35001 - L-35002

Ferde Grofé (1892-1972): Grand Canyon Suite (1931) as orchestrated for Whiteman's Orchestral forces
(Grofé later produced an expanded orchestration for full symphony orchestra)

Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra

26, 27, 28 April 1932, Camden Church Studio number 2, Camden, New Jersey

Paul Whiteman commissioned this famous work by Ferde Grofé and he gave the
premiere November 22, 1931. These 33 1/3 recordings were made during the same
sessions as the eight 78 RPM sides. 78 RPM discs were: Victor 36052, 36053, 36054, 36055